{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-ryan-honored-department-defense-ceremony", "Speaker Ryan Honored at Department of Defense Ceremony", "2018-11-28", "2018", "2018-11", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "www.speaker.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONToday, in an award ceremony at The Pentagon, Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis honored House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) with the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. The award, which is the highest award given to civilians by the Department, recognizes Speaker Ryan's commitment to the men and women who serve in the United States Military.\nHis remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:\nThank you, Mr. Secretary. This is truly a great and unexpected honor.\nPermit me, Mr. Secretary, to express what a privilege it has been to work alongside you for the last two years.\nI certainly share in the American people's admiration for your service to our country.\nAs fortunate as I feel at this moment, I am simply a temporary steward of a solemn obligation.\nThe role that America plays in the world is so vital and so indispensable.\nNothing and no oneespecially politicsshould get in the way of making sure our servicemembers have what they need to sustain this great cause.\nI am gratified that my colleagues and I could do our small part to fulfill this duty on behalf of the American people.\nI want to especially thank Chairman Mac Thornberry and the members of our Armed Services Committee.\nWithout their vigilance, we would not have been able to achieve this breakthrough.\nWe see the two-year budget agreement as a first step in rebuilding our military. Now this work must continue, and I am confident it will.\nLast month, I had the opportunity to visit our servicemembers in Afghanistan. It was the one thing I really wanted to do before leaving office.\nNo matter how many times I have done this, in no matter how many theatres, it is no less rewarding.\nAnd it is personal, too.\nLike any civilian, I treasure the servicemembers I have crossed paths with in my life.\nOne of the buddies I lived with in college is a Navy SEAL. My hunting buddy is a Green Beret. My close college friend is an Army engineer. And my childhood friend is the commanding general of the 101st Airborne.\nThere are many others, especially those I have had the privilege to represent who hail from Southern Wisconsin.\nIn faith, from the district I serve, nearly two dozen have paid the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan.\nBut what I see in these patriots who have served since 9/11 is our next great generation.\nYou know, here at home, we see all these little tears in our social fabric, all these threads being pulled at. The biggest fights over the smallest things.\nBut over there, in the middle of the desert, these men and womenmany on multiple deploymentscollaborate in a common pursuit under constant strain.\nAnd all they want to talk about is the difference they are making, the good that they are doing. \nTheir bonds of trust with one anotherit is all second nature to them.\nFor me, it was just this infusion of hope and perspective, this reaffirmation of humanity.\nWe are all heirs to a bigger story, a larger causea miracle, really.\nAnd we can all do our small part to preserve and protect thatand to look out for one another.\nThank you, Mr. Secretary, for this great honor.\nThank you to all who serve, and to your families.\nAnd God bless our great country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-ryan-honored-department-defense-ceremony"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5899413265287876, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}